# Pyla

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This article is about a village in Cyprus. For the town in Greece, see [Pyli](/source/Pyli). For the French sand dune, see [The Great Dune of Pyla](/source/The_Great_Dune_of_Pyla).

Place in Larnaca, Cyprus

Pyla Πύλα (Greek) Pile (Turkish) A view from Pyla in 2009 Pyla Coordinates: 35°00′50″N 33°41′33″E / 35.01389°N 33.69250°E / 35.01389; 33.69250 Country Cyprus District Larnaca Population (2011)[1] • Total 2,771 Time zone UTC+2 (EET) • Summer (DST) UTC+3 (EEST)

**Pyla** ([Greek](/source/Greek_language): Πύλα (IPA: [\[ˈpila\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Greek)); [Turkish](/source/Turkish_language): *Pile*) is a village in [Larnaca District](/source/Larnaca_District), [Cyprus](/source/Cyprus). It is one of only four villages located within the [United Nations Buffer Zone](/source/United_Nations_Buffer_Zone_in_Cyprus), the other three being [Athienou](/source/Athienou), [Troulloi](/source/Troulloi) and [Deneia](/source/Deneia). Pyla is located in the eastern part of the island, adjacent to the [British](/source/United_Kingdom) [Sovereign Base Area](/source/Sovereign_Base_Areas) of [Dhekelia](/source/Akrotiri_and_Dhekelia). From a legal point of view, it is administered as all other areas controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus, but policed by UN peacekeepers.[2]

The village is special in the respect that it is the only settlement in Cyprus still inhabited by both its original [Greek Cypriot](/source/Greek_Cypriots) and [Turkish Cypriot](/source/Turkish_Cypriots) inhabitants.[3] 850 of the inhabitants are Greek Cypriots and 487 are Turkish Cypriots.[4] The village has three [churches](/source/Church_(building)) and one [mosque](/source/Mosque).

[Pyla-Kokkinokremos](/source/Pyla-Kokkinokremos)[5] is an archaeological site dating to the [Late Bronze Age](/source/Late_Bronze_Age).

## History

Turkish cafeteria in the centre of Pyla

Medieval watchtower in Pyla

Pyla is among the oldest villages in Cyprus. The village was first inhabited during the Middle Ages. On several old maps it is marked with the names Pila or Pilla.

The name of the village is Greek which leads to the assumption[*[how?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*] that the village existed during the Byzantine years.[*[original research?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research)*] The name "Pyla" is after the Greek word "πύλη" (entrance), probably because it was the only way to travel to the plain of [Mesaoria](/source/Mesaoria). The [University of Central Lancashire](/source/University_of_Central_Lancashire) has a campus in the village, the only British university to have a site on the island.

## Pyla Tourist Area

Pyla Tourist Area is the area that neighbours the sea and belongs to the administrative division of the village of Pyla.

Several of the most luxurious hotels in Cyprus are located in the tourist area of Pyla, such as: Golden Bay, Lordos Beach and Sandy Beach. This strip is lined with a mix of taverns and restaurants, as well as tourist shops and boutiques, which all run parallel to the beachside which offers organised facilities, as well as kiosks and ice-cream stands. Pyla Tourist Area continues through the new Larnaca-Dhekelia sea road, onwards to the C.T.O. (Cyprus Tourist Organisation) beach.

## Sports

Currently, Aspis FC is the only football club in the village of Pyla. Also, the village hosts a volleyball club, named Finikas.

## 2023 crisis

On August 18, 2023, Turkish soldiers from the [Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command](/source/Cyprus_Turkish_Peace_Force_Command), [Security Forces Command](/source/Security_Forces_Command), de facto [Turkish Cypriot Police](/source/Directorate_General_for_Police) and Turkish-Cypriot civilians alike came in conflict with [UNFICYP](/source/UNFICYP) soldiers and vehicles for blocking a road attempted to be built by the Turkish authorities in the island, which plans to connect the village of [Arsos](/source/Arsos%2C_Larnaca) that lies within the occupied side to the village of Pyla in the buffer zone, bypassing the road in the northeast that passes through British military base checkpoints.[2][3][6] UNFICYP, citing its duty to maintain the status quo, stated its intentions to halt and stop the road construction through peaceful means. Footage that reached media outlets and social media reflects UN jeeps blocking the construction site of the road with Turkish construction vehicle operators removing the vehicles forcefully.[7] This assault on the UN forces drew international condemnation from [Greece](/source/Greece), [France](/source/France), the [United States](/source/United_States), the [European Union](/source/European_Union) and the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom).[4][5][8][9] Criticism from UN and Cypriot authorities stated that the construction would have negative repercussions on the stagnant negotiations to resolve the island's division.[10] Three peacekeepers were seriously injured and required hospitalisation.[11] The Turkish president accused the UN force of bias against Turkish Cypriots and added that Turkey will not allow any “unlawful” behavior toward Turks on Cyprus.[12] The [U.N. Security Council](/source/U.N._Security_Council) said that the incident was a violation of the status quo that is contrary to council resolutions and condemned the assault on the peacekeepers. The [U.N. Secretary-General](/source/U.N._Secretary-General) [António Guterres](/source/Ant%C3%B3nio_Guterres) said that “threats to the safety of U.N. peacekeepers and damage to U.N. property are unacceptable and may constitute serious crimes under international law."[13]

On October 9, 2023, both the Turkish side and [UNFICYP](/source/UNFICYP) announced that they have reached an agreement and, further, [Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister](/source/List_of_ministers_of_foreign_affairs_of_Northern_Cyprus) [Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu](/source/Tahsin_Ertu%C4%9Frulo%C4%9Flu) stated that the construction of the road will continue.[14][15]

## Famous people from Pyla

- [Anna Vissi](/source/Anna_Vissi)

## References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Pyla, Cyprus](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Pyla,_Cyprus).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Population - Place of Residence, 2011"](https://web.archive.org/web/20141016191920/http://www.cystat.gov.cy/mof/cystat/statistics.nsf/All/7F6BB26ED9D00A00C2257AD90055542A/$file/POP_CEN_11-POP_PLACE_RESID-EN-170414.xls?OpenElement). *Statistical Service of Cyprus (CYSTAT)*. 17 April 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.cystat.gov.cy/mof/cystat/statistics.nsf/All/7F6BB26ED9D00A00C2257AD90055542A/$file/POP_CEN_11-POP_PLACE_RESID-EN-170414.xls?OpenElement) on 16 October 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_2-1) ["Mixed village in Cyprus buffer zone looks to offer hope"](https://www.france24.com/en/20180123-mixed-village-cyprus-buffer-zone-looks-offer-hope). *France 24*. 2018-01-23. Retrieved 2020-07-16.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_3-1) ["Pyla, Cyprus: Life in a Divided Village | DW | 09.11.2003"](http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,1025809,00.html).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_4-1) ["UNFICYP > Civil Affairs"](https://web.archive.org/web/20081015025759/http://www.unficyp.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1416&tt=graphic&lang=l1). Archived from [the original](http://www.unficyp.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1416&tt=graphic&lang=l1) on 2008-10-15. Retrieved 2008-11-15.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:3_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:3_5-1) Keswani, Priscilla (2004). [*Mortuary Ritual and Society in Bronze Age Cyprus*](https://books.google.com/books?id=6k-whnDUeDgC&q=pyla-+kokkino+kremos&pg=PA155). Equinox Publishing. p. 155. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781904768036](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781904768036). Still other small centers such as [Maa Palaeokastro](/source/Maa_Palaeokastro) and [Pyla-Kokkinokremos](/source/Pyla-Kokkinokremos) may conceivably have been founded as outposts of other larger urban settlements like [Kouklia](/source/Kouklia) or [Kition](/source/Kition), thus constituting externally imposed foci of elite power within the surrounding countryside.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Foreign embassies in Cyprus express concern over incidents in Pyla buffer zone"](https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/news/local/foreign-embassies-in-cyprus-express-concern-over-incidents-in-pyla-buffer-zone/). *in-cyprus.philenews.com*. 2023-08-18. Retrieved 2023-08-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Instagram"](https://www.instagram.com/p/CwFewQNszYA/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Καταδικάζει τις επιθέσεις στην Πύλα η Πρόεδρος του Ευρωκοινοβουλίου | AlphaNews.Live"](https://www.alphanews.live/politics/katadikazei-tis-epitheseis-stin-pyla-i-proedros-toy-eyrokoinoboylioy). *www.alphanews.live* (in Greek). 18 August 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Καταδικάζει η ΕΕ: Τηλεφώνησε στον Κόμπο μετά τα επεισόδια στην Πύλα ο Μπορέλ | AlphaNews.Live"](https://www.alphanews.live/politics/katadikazei-i-ee-tilefonise-ston-kompo-meta-ta-epeisodia-stin-pyla-o-mporel). *www.alphanews.live* (in Greek). 18 August 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["UN to Halt Road Construction Encroaching on Buffer Zone in Cyprus"](https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/08/18/un-to-halt-road-construction-encroaching-on-buffer-zone-in-cyprus/?amp). 18 August 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["UN peacekeepers hurt in Cyprus buffer zone clash with Turkish forces"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230819052943/https://www.reuters.com/world/un-peacekeepers-hurt-cyprus-buffer-zone-clash-with-turkish-forces-2023-08-18/). reuters. Archived from [the original](https://www.reuters.com/world/un-peacekeepers-hurt-cyprus-buffer-zone-clash-with-turkish-forces-2023-08-18/) on 19 August 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Erdoğan slams UN peacekeepers for blocking road project in Turkish Cyprus"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230822080859/https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-slams-un-peacekeepers-for-blocking-road-project-in-turkish-cyprus-185673). Archived from [the original](https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-slams-un-peacekeepers-for-blocking-road-project-in-turkish-cyprus-185673) on 22 August 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["U.N. calls unauthorized construction by Turkish Cypriots a violation of the status quo on Cyprus"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230822081952/https://apnews.com/article/turkey-cyprus-un-peacekeepers-erdogan-de766e37a742f6ecb51752ec7b6f9619). Archived from [the original](https://apnews.com/article/turkey-cyprus-un-peacekeepers-erdogan-de766e37a742f6ecb51752ec7b6f9619) on 22 August 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Türkiye hails UN-TRNC agreement on construction of Yigitler-Pile road"](https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/turkiye-hails-un-trnc-agreement-on-construction-of-yigitler-pile-road/3013536). *www.aa.com.tr*. Retrieved 2023-10-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["UN mission announces deal on Turkish Cypriot road construction"](https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/un-mission-announces-deal-on-turkish-cypriot-road-construction/news). *Daily Sabah*. 2023-10-09. Retrieved 2023-10-10.

v t e Larnaca District Municipalities Aradippou Athienou Dromolaxia–Meneou Larnaca Lefkara Municipal Districts Aradippou Athienou Avdellero Delikipos Dromolaxia–Meneou Kato Lefkara Kellia Kiti Kornos Lageia Larnaca Livadia Oroklini Pano Lefkara Pervolia Skarinou Tersefanou Troulloi Vavla Communities Agia Anna Agioi Vavatsinias Agios Theodoros Alaminos Alethriko Anafotia Anglisides Aplanta Arsos Choirokoitia Goşşi Kalavasos Kalo Chorio Kato Drys Kivisili Klavdia Kofinou Mari Maroni Mazotos Melini Melouseia Menogeia Mosfiloti Odou Ora Ormideia Pergamos Petrofani Psematismenos Psevdas Pyla Pyrga Softades Tochni Tremetousia Vavatsinia Xylofagou Xylotymbou Zygi

Authority control databases International VIAF National United States Israel

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pyla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyla) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyla?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.